Bill Clinton fails to heed his own advice

Bill Clinton hasn't been generating as many headlines of late as he did earlier this year -- probably a good thing for his wife's presidential hopes. But he's working as hard as ever on her behalf. Perhaps too hard.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported this morning that Clinton, during a private meeting Sunday with key California Democrats at the state party's convention in San Jose, ignored what he moments later told the confab in public.

Reflecting on the intense presidential nomination battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Clinton in his speech urged fretful Democrats to "chill out" and let the contest play out. But shortly before he spoke, Clinton lost his cool at a private gathering with a handful of pols who will be attending the party's national convention as superdelegates.

Clinton blew a gasket, according to the Chronicle item, when one of the Californians mentioned the flap that erupted when Bill Richardson, despite strong ties to the ex-president, recently decided to endorse Obama and Clinton-loyalist James Carville responded by branding Richardson a "Judas."

That set Clinton off on a wide-ranging diatribe, resulting in what one of those present called "one of the worst political meetings I have ever attended."

Who knew Richardson would prove such a sore spot for the Clintonites? But fatigue, as we mentioned, may have been a factor in Bill Clinton's reaction.

In typical fashion, the more some pundits have speculated that his wife's hopes of emerging as the Democratic nominee are diminishing, the more ...

 

he has hit the hustings in states with primaries in April, May and early June.

Consider:

Last Thursday, he campaigned in five Pennsylvania communities, and then on Friday appeared at seven events in North Carolina. Saturday found him back in Pennsylvania for a couple of events before he had to head west.

On Sunday, after his drop-by at the California convention, he traveled to Oregon, where he stumped that evening and on Monday. Tuesday found him in Montana, where he made four appearances, and today he's in Indiana for four more.

Time for a rest? No way.

Trips to Pennsylvania, Kentucky and North Carolina await him before the weekend.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Harry Grace]

Come on, Pennsylvania. If this story proves anything, its that Billary is more interested in themselves than in you and your health care and pocket book. Look how they treated the African American community: When they needed their votes, they were their best friend. Now that they've been abandoned for Obama, Billary resorts to race baiting "Jesse Jackson-He's Not A Muslim-That-I-Know-Of" comments, aimed at the white community. Let's get this over with. Let's elect a guy who won't go into the White House with scores to settle. Didn't we have enough of that the past 7 years?

[Matt]

The Clinton campaign talks about voters counting in the ten remaining contests and then talks about superdelegates voting against the will of the people. The Hillary campaign is one big double standard.

[Lars Sorenson]

Hillary deserves to run in the remaining the primaries. However, she does not deserve to run dirty.
And for those Hillary supporters--it seems it's about a third of you now--who have become so bitter that they claim they would vote for McCain if Hillary doesn't win the Dem. nomination, you are the reason the Democratic party is so dysfunctional and ineffectual. In essence, you are the section of the Democratic party which deserves the sagging economy, the aimless wars and the public disinvestment that has marked the 21st century of Republican control.

[Mike]

Hi, Obama supporters,

Pls don't spill any more fuel on racial issues. The more racial it become, the more Obama will get hurt. Because a racist will eventually be eliminated by the racists.

[Kenny]

I agree with Harry. I don't understand how so many people can support Hilliary and not see what a conflict of interest her entire campaign is. She shouldn't be running for the simple fact that Bill Clinton is her husband (which probably wouldn't still be the case if they weren't both in politics). The fact that a former president is going around the country trying to drum up support for his wife the presidential candidate is just wrong. It should be about the will of the people not the will of politicians. I feel that the people have already spoken and Obama is their candidate. Also no one remembers how Bill Clinton was impeached and lied under oath these days. Maybe the Clinton days were better than the Bush days, but Bill Clinton should not get a third presidential term. Last I checked that's not legal.

[Oregon4Obama]

Bill needs to take his wife home and regain what little dignity they have left.....stay to the side and try again in 2012......

[Evelina]

It is understandable why President Clinton would react as he has. Clearly, Governor Richardson should not have invited him over to watch the SuperBowl if he was not sure that he was eventually going to endorse Senator Clinton.
C'mon. He has done this to people who have given him many opportunities in his career. I think the loser in all of this is Governor Richardson.

[Sues]

I have lost all sense of surprise in this campaign. The Clintons are being subjected to amazing pressure not only by Obama but by the so called press. There is not even a pretense of covering the campaign in an honest and non partisan way. So called journalists and reporters have turned from reporting facts to seeing who can do the most damage to the Clintons and anyone who might support them. It is almost impossible to glean a fact or two in any article that is not tainted by amazing hostility to the Clintons and fawning approval of Obama, who apparently can do no wrong. I don't need every reporter and "commentator" telling me what I am supposed to think especially with the biased and contemptuous way they distort information. While I am interested in the opinions of other voters in comments it has long since been obvious that they have been co-opped by Obama supporters who post in seeming competition to see who can do the most harm. They have turned me against Obama.

[SA]

I think Bill Clinton invited himself over to watch the super bowl with Bill Richardson.

Bill Richardson is a person and has a right to change his mind, by the way.

[Jay McDonough]

from swimming freestyle:

"Barack Obama's election to the presidency in November would put a serious crimp in Bill Clinton's power, influence and resulting earnings. Obama and his Administration would, by virtue of their position, become the de facto leaders of the Democratic Party. Bill and Hillary Clinton will continue to be powerful forces in the Party, but the bulk of that power shifts from the Clinton's to the new guys in town. They become a good deal less marketable.

One can understand why the thought of losing all that might make Bill Clinton a little grumpy."

http://swimmingfreestyle.typepad.com

[gerald]

What's interesting about the latest Bill tirade is that it was prompted by the comment of a superdelegate that has endorsed Hillary but that didn't like the offensive "Judas" comment made by Carville over Richardson's endorsement. Ouch!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/04/02/BAVNVU2PJ.DTL

So on the one hand, Hillary says superdelegates should go with their own conscience and pick who they want, but on the other hand, Hillary's campaign will publicly and privately attack you if the endorsement is not for her.

By the way, if you divide the superdelegates into elected officials and party insiders, Obama now leads the elected officials and HIllary has a large lead among insiders (those that hold appointed positions).

[realist]

Bill is fighting for more than his wife. He's fighting for his life. If Hillary loses, she will blame him, and his indiscretion with Monica. Moreover, Chelsea will blame him too. Chelsea will blame her dad for ruining her chances at political office. Because it was a question about Monica that made a public fool of Chelsea. When Hillary loses, Bill's whole family will disown him. He's got every right to be freaking out and working his butt off because if he doesn't it's game over for him.

[monarnyc]

Governor Richardson endorsed the person he felt is the best person for the job of Commander in Chief. I personally don't think that in this case friendship should have anything to do with it. One has to look at both Clinton and Obama and what they are saying and their past actions. Bill Clinton needs to get over it and realize that this is not a popularity contest.

I planned to vote for Edwards and am not happy he is not running. But I got over it and whoever the nominee (democratic) I will vote for. Definitely do not want McCain. I am extremely extremely happy that people-especially young are interested in the election-you hear them discussing it on the subway, walking home, etc. I live in NYC and I voted for Obama after doing my due diligence.

I feel that whoever the electorate select that is who the candidate should be. -super delegates should go the same way. May the best person win!!

[Judas Clinton]

Certainly Bill & Hillary know a Judas when they see it!

I believe the Clinton's love support from people they know they can make in to a Judas to their morals.

A perfect team:
Bill - Impeached & Disbarred for lying on the job.
Hillary - Fired for lying on the job. Former member of the "Young Republicans".

I wonder if they have their wedding rings engraved: "Those who sleep together lie together."

[Joel]

Every day, it seems more and more to me that the Clinton's and the Bush's are made from the same mold.

Poor America - I hope you earn your Freedom soon!

[Leon A Davis]

Yeah, Big Bubba is fighting for his political life all right, but not so much with his family. Seems to me he has spent the last couple years running around collecting millions and millions of dollars from billionaires and third world thug dictators, ostensibly for his library, but in reality for influence in his next regime. At the time a third Clinton term seemed a certainity. Now that HRC is going down in flames, those who gave him those millions are getting really worried. If HRC gets shut out, it will be over for Bill. His phone will stop ringing and no one will return his calls. He won't have anything to sell.

[NinaK]

It is understandable why President Clinton would react as he has. Clearly, Governor Richardson should not have invited him over to watch the SuperBowl if he was not sure that he was eventually going to endorse Senator Clinton.
C'mon. He has done this to people who have given him many opportunities in his career. I think the loser in all of this is Governor Richardson.

Posted by: Evelina
----------------------
As I understand it, Clinton INVITED HIMSELF to watch the game with Governor Richardson. Gov Richardson did NOT invite Clinton. I believe that is the same day, Clinton again was trying to get Gov Rechardson's endorsement for Hillary. The Gov would not commit, and Bill asked him, "weren't the two terms I gave you good enough for you?" Folks, this is called "COERSION"! Guess Bill and Hillary are still really enraged about Gov Richardson endorsing Senator Obama. Bill Clinton's behavior at the convention is outlandish and speaks to who the Clintons really are!! Manipulators, YOU OWE ME, and ANGRY Clintons. They cannot seem to understand that most people are more loyal to their country, as it should be, than to them, the Clintons. Furthermore, tearing down the caucus states and smaller states is NOT the thing to do. Hey, Bill and Hillary, these states are just as important as New York and California!

[Bob]

To double what a previous contributor (Matt) noted as far as the Clinton's Camp insistence that "all votes be counted" referring to both the debacle that is Michigan and Florida's Democratic Primaries and as the Clinton Campaign's main contention for staying in the Primaries. and the most recent comments by the Clinton people and Sen. Clinton herself that so called Pledged Delegates use their own judgement on voting at the convention, being a clear suggestion that Delegates (both "super" and "pledged") be allowed to vote however they feel irrelevant of the voters decisions, I leave the cliches and judgements to the reader to make about the Clinton Campaign on this one.

[wilbur]

The Clintons have literrally multi-millions $$$$ to lose if Hillary does not become President. Do your due diligence America!!

That's why they are fighting so hard, both Bill and Hill and Chelsea.

[Mary CA]

Why is an impeached two term president allowed to run for his "buy one get one free" (his words) 3rd term in DC as his wife's close personal adviser. I give up on citizens of this country that are voting for this. I wonder if the press will ever report on Bill's upcoming trial scheduled to begin 4/25/08 in Los Angeles court. When people claim government "owns the press" and the press only prints their approved messages and they neglect to inform the people of yet another Clinton scandal, I believe it is true. It makes me heart sick that people want that back in the White House.

[hillaryis44]

Yeah, Bill came and spoke here in my state last week. We had to clean and scrub the entire region after he left. I know a couple folks that actually think he is honest, I talked to one wingnut that said Bill needed to take the $31 million for the Uranium deal because he had legal bills from being "unfairly attacked" by the republicans. I kept a straight face to be polite, but I was truly howling with laughter on the inside. Thanks for all the good times baby-boomers, but take your Bush-Clinton-Clinton-Bush-Bush with you before we get stuck with another Clinton. What an imaginative track record.

[david in WHFD]

You have to wonder why all three of the clintons are running so hard. Surely, no one, by now, thinks it has anything to do with patriotism or public service. What's left? Power comes to mind. I wonder, could these people, who have earned over a hundred million dollars since leaving office, could they like the power? Could they be hungry for more?
On Nov.12, 1999 one year before leaving office, the clintons signed legislation which repealed the Glass Steagall Act. That law had been the primary protection of homeowners and mortgage holders for half a century. I think its repeal led directly to the sub-prime mess and the world-wide financial crisis. On that date, the president sold out every American homeowner and enriched himself in the process. Within days, Robert Rubin, the clintons hand-picked Secretary of the Treasury left government service to accept a 40 million dollar a year job with Citicorp. Today, Robert Rubin is one of the clintons primary fundraisers.
After clinton left office, he went to work for the money managers, and got his daughter a job with a particularly rapacious hedge fund, Marc Lasry's Avenue Capital, which makes its considerable profits from distressed properties (directly related to the housing and mortgage market collapse). None of this is an accident or a coincidence. And he has the audacity to be upset that Richardson betrayed him? Your house is worth about 25% less than it was, your job is not as secure, the economy is tanking, inflation is rising. How about the betrayal knowingly perpetrated on every one of us by our fearless leader? Check this website:

http://my.opera.com/richardinbellingham/blog/show.dml/1796860

[Randy]

Bill Clinton is like every other Democrat concerned about his Country and the Democratic Party... He's working his tail off.

Yes, Hillary is a candidate for President. But, don't expect Bill to any less engaged in this election than the rest of us.

Just because he was the 42nd President doesn't give anyone the right to Bill that he shouldn't be supporting his candidate which also happens to be his spouse.

Bill is a great American. Few individuals come along in a lifetime that are able to move a nation like President Clinton had. And all of us have benefited from his Presidency ( and as a Republican at the time, I was amazed at his administrations ability to create an environment that enabled American business to and our people to economically thrive coupled with common sense public policy initiatives that improved our nation as a whole).

Bill Clinton's only misgiving as President was that "Blue Dress."

I don't know about the rest of you. But, I for one, believe Bill Clinton to be one of our most endeared Presidents much like Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt. Of course, this is my opinion.

In closing, I wouldn't expect anything less from Bill Clinton than to do the very things he was put on this planet to do. Playing Politics Professionally.... that's right my friends!

I can't fault Bill for loving his wife ... Can you?

[AlFonse]

Bill is going bonker. Not helping out Hillary with these kinds of news. The more I think about Bill & Hillary the less sure I am on who's going to run the country if elected. The thought gave me a chill down my spine.

[Ray Jahn]

I belong to the small group of independent voters (no political party affiliation) whose ballots might collectively cast a pivotal influence in disproportion to their apparently small population in the coming 2008 election. There have been numerous attempts to accurately characterize the independent voters, and the efforts continue to date. Examples: financially conservative, socially liberal; surburbanites; religious diversity; race diversity; etc.

Although the opinions of independent voters have little chance for the attention from the dominant political parties, perhaps they can sometimes serve as a useful side note in an increasingly heated campaign.

It is a great honor of me to witness the great moment and the greatness of USA in 2008. There is so much diversity inherent in the remaining presidential candidates: in age, in gender, in race, in growth background, in experience, in idea, in religious inclination, in social perspective, etc. This kind of diversity in election is very rare elsewhere in the world. USA is still a blessed land to have such diversity.

I would like to quote two sources:

(bible) After the anointment, David led a long difficult life for his perfection (by God's will) before he finally assumed the leadership position. David may not last long in the challenging leadership position were it not for the perfection training.

There is also an ancient Chinese idiom: There shall be excruciating perfection on the one chosen (by the heavenly) for the earthly leadership.

I suggest:

The ferocity of campaign efforts to date is not necessarily all bad sign. It could be part of the perfection process, if God/heaven will. The short term hardship may eventually help strengthen the chosen leader to better face the real challenge after he/she assumes the office - the nation is in a mess now.

Hope enough of us voters would pray (religious) and hope (atheists) that the perfection process will be thorough, and that the chosen leader will fully benefit from this perfection and emerge strong and just to handle the difficult challenges in presidency.

May this land of USA continue to be blessed.

[Reynold]

I am so surprised to find so many arrogant O supporters.

If you want a job, vote for Hillary.

It is soooo simple.

[Granted]

As usual there's always a good show for a presidential campaign. It's all good fun, but what everyone should remember when they are in the voting booth is to forget about the circus and simply vote for the best candidate.

[jdmac3ct]

With all of this back and forth, it seems interesting that the big story is being missed. HRC was supposed to have this all locked up by now. She had all the local Party machines behind her. She had the biggest and the brightest campaign people. If she loses, history will not be kind for her blunders.

Regardless of the outcome, Senator Obama will be remembered as putting together one of the best campaigns in history. You can accuse him of using smoke and mirrors and his supporters as being idiots. Yet, this seems to fly in the face of his supporter base. His supporters tend to be more intelligent and open minded. [And no I didn't say intelligent people don't also support HRC. She does have broader appeal to less educated, blue collar, and rural voters]

[Rajah Kahn]

Look man, my understanding is that we will have two presidents in the white house if Hillary wins.(probably).. Bill's frustration is that he is having doubts about this nomination to Hillary.. maybe, with speaking with the super delegates he can sense that they do not like Hillary, and so his sub-conscious is all tensed up. Poor guy, really suffering from brain eruption....He is so DESPERATE to go back in the Whitehouse.......

[DavidO]

Those of you complaining about what Carville told the media and what Bill told super-delegates, are really ignorant. I guess that's why you're not political strategists.

Look at the effect.

1. Richardson took a week off campaigning for Obama.

2. He's now doing damage control instead of talking about Obama.

3. He's damaged goods either way. He either lied or betrayed his longtime friends. Lose-Lose situation.

He's smart enough to know what his endorsement meant and now he has to pay the political price. Pure genius, imo, by Carville and Bill.

[Whippy]

Wait a minute. Bill Clinton and Richardson watched the Super Bowl together, therefore Richardson should have endorsed Hillary? What kind of bizarre reasoning is that?

[maurice egan]

I am a Canadian. U.S. citizens are friendly and generous people. Much admired by citizens of Canada. Their government is powerful but disliked by ordinary people
around the world. That is sad. It is my view that Obama
is the candidate most able to restore a universal feeling
of goodwill toward the USA. Such a feeling is essential
to world peace. Empire building breeds the opposite.
Thanks for the opportunity to express my opinion. ME.

[Jack's Son]

It looks like the democrats are again forming their presidential attack group designed to organize all the slime they can formulate against the Repubilcan candidate and their faithfull party.

I remember the Democrats efforts to organize and maximize negatives that George Bush had.They did a thorough and effective job with their constant barrage and messages on TV and radio programs which had never been used before to make a Rebublican or Democratic President appear as dimwitted and or traitor.

Now the democrats are going through their nomination of a candidate to best represent their party not necessarily our great country.Or at least it seems that way.